Self-adhering surface finish laminate



y 28, 1968 I R.'W. BACKBERG 3,385,743

SELF-ADHERING SURFACE FINISH LAMINATE Filed April 5, 1965 Fig.

) y 1 Richard W Baclrberg 7 W/ 36 INVENTOR. Q B 42 wfiwyfim United States Patent 3,385,743 SELF-ADHERING SURFACE FINISH LAMINATE Richard W. Backberg, 3580 Mill St., Eugene, Oreg. 97405 Filed Apr. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 445,669 2 Claims. (Cl. 161145) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A thin veneer-type surface covering including an adhesive thereon so as to enable the surface covering to adhere to a wall or the like. The covering includes a veneer strip backed by a strip reinforcing layer of paper which in turn has polyethylene coatings on the opposite faces thereof so as to provide both a moisture and a heat barrier. The polyethylene coated paper layer projects along one longitudinal edge of the strip so as to present a contrasting strip border utilized in providing a panel effeet when mounted on a wall with similar strips.

This invention relates to a self-adhering surface finish and more specifically to veneer panel strips adapted to be readily mounted on wall surfaces.

It is an object of this invention to provide an actual wood surface covering which may be easily and readily worked and applied by the master craftsman or the doit-yourselfer with equal ease.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a self-adhering surface covering which may be applied to flat, curved or otherwise uneven surfaces to provide a thin attractive veneer surface finish thereon.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a paper reinforced veneer surface finish which carries its own pressure adhesive for mounting on walls or the like and which includes a water barrier as well as an insulating barrier integrally carried therewith.

.It is another object of the present invention to provide a veneer of finished wood, cork, plastic, ceramic, or other attractive materials which can be readily applied to surfaces to form a solid panel covering thereon or to give the appearance of panel strips of wood with contrasting colors appearing therebetween.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a veneer surface finish mounted in a channel member for mounting on wall surfaces or the like.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the panel strips comprising the present invention mounted in place on a wall;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a panel strip comprising the present invention with the back layer thereof peeled away to show the adhesive layer;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a single panel strip of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modilied form of panel strip contemplated by the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral refers generally to the surface covering panel strip comprising the present invention. The panel strip 10 includes an outer layer or strip 12 having a finished exterior surface 14. The outer strip 12 may be any well-known wood veneer, such as walnut, oak or the 3,385,743 Patented May 28, 1968 like, or may be cork, plastic, or ceramic material finished so as to give a pleasing appearance. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-4, the surface covering is a multi-layered strip 16 which is adapted to be mounted 011 a wall or other surface 18.

The layers of the surface covering include the aforementioned outer strip 12, a layer of paper 20, a front coating of moisture barrier forming polyethylene material 22 on the paper 20, a back coating of polyethylene material 24 on the paper 20, a contact adhesive material 26 overlying the back polyethylene coating 24, a removable parting sheet 28 overlying the back of the adhesive material 26, and an adhesive layer 30 permanently affixing the paper 20 to the back of the outer strip 12 with the front coating 22 of polyethylene interposed therebetween.

The paper 20 comprising one layer of the surface covering 10 is preferably a kraft paper, or may be any other paper which will readily take a coating or covering of polyethylene material. The front coating 22 of polyethylene material on the paper 20 forms a moisture barrier and is colored for contrast to the exterior surface 14, for a purpose to be discussed hereinafter. The back coating 24 of polyethylene material is reflective in nature for example by being colored silver, thereby operating as insulation by constituting a reflective surface for heat radiation. The paper 20 is permanently bonded to the outer strip 12 by an adhesive 30 which lies between the back surface of the outer strip 12 and the front coating 22 on the paper 20.

The adhesive layer 26 which is operative to cause the surface covering 10 to adhere to 'a wall or other surface is preferably a pressure responsive contact adhesive cement such as a neoprene-base adhesive, Weldwood Contact Cement, a product of the United States Plywood Corporation, etc. As is well known to those skilled in the art, contact cements, upon contact and a slight pressure become adhesive, and do not require the use of pressure clamps, presses, or heat.

The removable parting sheet 28 normally covers the adhesive layer 26 to protect the cement during shipment and handling of the surface covering 10, 'and as shown in FIGURE 2, may be peeled off in order to expose the adhesive layer 26 when the surface covering 10 is to be mounted on a wall or other surface as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 3. The paper layer 20, with the front coating 22 of polyethylene material as well as the back coating 24 and layers 26 and 28, thereon is mounted over the entire longitudinal length of the outer strip 12, and further extends planarly outward from one longitudinal edge 32 of the outer strip 12 along the full length thereof. Thus, it may be seen, for example in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, that a longitudinal strip 34 of the colored coating 22 is exposed along each panel strip. It will be apparent by viewing FIGURES 1 and 3 that the covering strips 10 may be mounted on a wall or other surface 18 in abutting relationship leaving the strip 34 exposed, thereby simulating grooves or joints between the finished exterior portions 14 so as to give the appearance of a panelled surface.

An alternative mounting of the surface covering strips 10, which is not illustrated, is described as follows: The portion of the layers 20, 22, 24 and 26 which extend outwardly from the edge 32 of the outer strip 12 may easily be cut-off by a sharp utensil. Without this longitudinal portion 34, the surface covering strips 10 may be mounted on the surface to be covered in abutting relation, without having the grooves or joints appearing therebetween, thereby giving the appearance of a solid panel covering.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the veneer strip 12 is illustrated as mounted in a shallow elongated U-shaped channel member 36. The veneer strip 12 has 'a finished exterior surface 38 and may be composed of any of the various materials described above. The U-shaped channel member 36 is preferably a semi-rigid plastic member and extends along the entire longitudinal length of the veneer strip 12. The channel member 36 has a back mold 35 and parallel walls 40 and 42 integral with and perpendicular to back wall 35, each of the walls 40 and 42 having a longitudinal outer edge 44 which is coplanar with the exterior surface 38 of the veneer strip 12. The outer edges 44 are preferably colored so as to contrast with the color of the exterior surface 38. The back of the channel member 36 has a pressure responsive contact adhesive layer 46 coated thereon, and a removable parting sheet 48 in covering relationship to said adhesive layer 46, similar to the arrangement described above in regard to the form of FIGURES 1-4. The strip 12 is fixedly mounted in the channel member 36 by a suitable permanent adhesive.

Thus, it may be appreciated that the channel member 36 is readily mountable on any desired surface 'by peelin-g off the removable parting sheet 48, thereby exposing the adhesive layer 46. Further, when several channel members 36 are mounted on a surface in abutting relationship, the outer edges 44, by virtue of their contrasting color to the exterior surface 38, give the appearance of a planked surface.

It may be appreciated from the foregoing discussion that the surface covering device of the present invention provides a quickly mountable exterior surface, for walls or other surfaces, which is relatively flexible, which may be packaged and shipped with a minimum of protective coverings,'and which may be readily mounted on any surface merely by peeling off the removable parting sheet and pressing the strip on the surface.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de- 4, scribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A self-adhering surface covering comprising an outer strip of thin veneer facing, said strip having a finished exterior face and a back, a reinforcing layer of paper overlying the back of said strip and being fixedly mounted thereon, said layer of paper extending out- Wardly from one longitudinal edge of the strip along the length thereof, a front coating of moisture resistant polyethylene material on the face of said paper layer facing the back of said strip, said front coating being colored for contrast with said facing strip where visible on that portion of the paper layer extending outward from the longitudinal edge of the strip, a back coating on the second face of said paper layer facing away from said strip, said back coating being polyethylene material which is colored so as to be heat reflective, and contact adhesive means on said back polyethylene material coating whereby said surface covering can be adhered to a surface.

2. An article in accordance with claim 1 including a removable parting sheet overlying the contact adhesive means for protecting said adhesive means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,752,402 4/1930 Tomec et al l6l-40 2,018,805 10/1935 Reisig 52-311 2,829,404 4/1958 Wilson 523l3 XR 3,009,601 11/1961 Matsch 161-113 XR 3,135,647 6/1964 Wheeley 161406 XR 3,166,455 1/ 1965 Levitch. 3,189,514 6/1965 Shriver et al 161250 FOREIGN PATENTS 23 0,527 2/ 1959 Australia.

ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner.

R. H. CRISS, Assistant Examiner. 

